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It was Dalmiya versus the rest
HATS OFF to Jagmohan Dalmiya. What else can you say about a man who took on the CM, the whole state machinery, even Kolkata's first cricket family, and yet pulled off a smooth win in the presidential elections of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
HATS OFF to Jagmohan Dalmiya. What else can you say about a man who took on the CM, the whole state machinery, even Kolkata's first cricket family, and yet pulled off a smooth win in the presidential elections of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
A little before four in the afternoon on a grey Sunday, he entered his second home without knowing if he would continue to be welcome there.
One hour before midnight, Dalmiya showed that impossible is nothing with a 61-56 verdict in his favour. Top cop Prasun Mukherjee will continue to look after the city's law and order, and state athletics. Cricket, at least in Bengal, will continue to be Dalmiya's domain.
God knows what this will mean to the CAB’s current pariah status in the BCCI, where Dalmiya faces an arduous battle. But all that is for later. For the moment, you cannot but raise a toast to a man who has scaled every peak an administrator can hope to in the sport.
But recently he fell out with the Gangulys — who then became the frontrunners in a cry for a change in the CAB. (Ironically, in a year in which Bengal made a rare appearance in the Ranji Trophy final.)
Snehasish Ganguly’s presence when the detractors first met in May, after Mukherjee had agreed to take on Dalmiya, had raised a few eyebrows. Sourav's e-mail cleared all doubts and a frontal assault on Dalmiya's vote bank was made by the former India skipper's uncle Debasish Ganguly who successfully got South Suburban Club's representative to stay away.
On Sunday, conscious of the fact that they were the cynosure of the show, the voters trooped in. Mukherjee's subordinates in the state athletics federation handed them papers which had their panel. The police were there in large numbers and it felt like the Eden was hosting an international cricket match.
More than anything else it was probably a show of how the state security system was behind its top boss, but never before has the Eden looked this fortified before a ballot battle. But then, how often has a CM said he is not happy with those running cricket in the state? And how often has the BCCI monitored the goings-on in Kolkata like a hawk?
All this gave Mukherjee the confidence to think of nailing Dalmiya on his home turf. It was misplaced.
